This leafy market town has historic buildings, good schools, swift commuter links

How it rates

A little healthy rivalry is no bad thing, but residents of the leafy market
town of Hitchin must find being constantly overshadowed by St Albans,
Hertfordshire’s superstar commuter spot, rather frustrating. While it is
true that Hitchin isn’t as boutiquey as its rival 16 miles to the south, it
has plenty of charms: a pretty town centre packed with historic buildings,
brilliant schools, swift commuter links to London and lots of open space.

And, in straitened times, it is also worth noting that Hitchin’s varied and
charming period property is about 20 per cent cheaper than the